Measurement of lameness

[Nudibranch]

Degrees/fractions of lameness - one of my vets uses tenths, one uses fifths. I assume they are both just the same thing, 3/5 being the same as 6/10?

Anyway can anyone give a sort of definitive explanation of them? 1/10 being the least lame, so would this be barley noticeable at trot? And what about 9/10 - would this be not using the leg at all?

Pony with DJD in hocks is getting worse, last night diagnosed as 3/5 in trot, what little trot she did manage. Overnight box rest made it worse as expected, confirming the arthritis, vet is saying another 2 weeks on bute before we make any decisions regarding PTS. This has been going on since Boxing Day and previous bute hasn't done a thing - am wondering if this is just dragging out the inevitable. Pony has been a companion since birth due to severe cow hocks, and is now 22, so I can't really understand why we are 4 months into treatment and vet is still going down the "bute and let's see" route.

 

[kanter]

This might help:

http://www.retiredhorses.com/lamenessgrade.html

Sorry about your pony. Your vet is probably struggling for options. They are human after all.

This weather is not good for anything arthritic, maybe try the 2 weeks of bute, which hopefully will coincide with some warmer weather before making a decision? That said 22 years of a life of leisure is not bad going.

You are obviously a very caring owner, and I hope things work out for you and your pony.

 

[Lucy_Ally]

Most people cannot spot 1-2 tenths lameness, 9 tenths is pretty much non-weightbearing. It is a very subjective measure but gives you an idea of how 'bad' the lameness is.

I hope that the bute helps, but if you really feel your pony has reached the end of the road, you need to have a frank discussion with your vet.

Best of luck. xx

 

[star]

i use a scale of 10 for horses and 5 for dogs because it's much more difficult to see the subtle differences in dogs, but i think it's nice to have the range of 10 to use in horses. 10/10 lame is completely non weight-bearing, 8-9 is pretty crippled, 7 is a severe lameness, 5-6 is a moderate lameness, 3-4 is a mild lameness and 2 is about the minimum most owners can spot. only vets and experienced horse people can spot 1/10 lameness, esp in the hindlimbs.

 

[Nudibranch]

Thanks all, very helpful stuff!